Umbrella.



PATEN'TED MAY 7, 1907'.

H.- H. BROWN. UMBRELLA. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8 1905.

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HERBERT H. BROWN, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

UMBRELLA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1907.

Application filed November 8, 1905. Serial No. 286,324.

umbrella of this class which is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, which can be very readily folded or taken down, which when taken down or folded occupies a small space and can be readily packed in a grip or suit case, and which when opened is as rigid and strong as an ordinary umbrella.

The ribs of my improved umbrella are jointed intermediate of their ends, and the joint is so constructed that in order to fold' the umbrella, the jointed ends of the ribs are folded inwardly, and the main portions of the ribs are then folded back against the tip of the umbrella. In order to hold the ribs stiff when the umbrella is open, I have hinged the outer ends of the braces of the ribs to shoes which are adapted to span the oints of the ribs, and thus hold the ribs rigid. The shoes can be readily moved longitudinally of the ribs to allow the joints to fold, and after this is done, the umbrella is folded by merely sliding the runner up on the handle sulli' ciently far to cause the main portion of the ribs to fold backwardly against themselves and against the tip of the umbrella, the outer or pivoted ends of the ribs during this operation folding inwardly against the main portion of the ribs by the action of gravity. The handle is preferably made detachable from the umbrella frame and may be made in two or more sections, so that it can be detached from the umbrella and taken apart.

I will now describe one embodiment of my invention and then point out the novel features of the invention in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a view showing an umbrella frame embodying my invention, said frame being shown open Fig. 2 shows the umbrella frame shown in Fig. 1 partly folded, and in and straight.

dotted lines shows said umbrella frame completely folded; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the hinged joint of each rib and the shoe to which the brace is secured; Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line EJ3, Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the rib partly folded. I

3 designates the'head or tip of the um brella, 4 the handle, 5 the ribs, 6 the runner on the handle, and 7 the braces connecting the runner and the ribs. The ribs 5 are'pivoted at 8 to the head or tip 3 in any suitable way. Each rib is jointed intermediate of its ends at 9, the joint preferably being an inside joint so constructed that the outer end 10 of the rib can fold inwardly against the inside of the upper part 5 of each rib. The ribs are shown as U-shape in cross section, although this particular shape is not essential to the invention.

The main portion 5 of each rib is provided with ears 11 which are hinged to other ears 12 on the outer end 10 of the rib by means of a hinge pin 13. This makes a knuckle-joint which permits the outer end 10 of the rib to fold inwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, but prevents it from folding outwardly. Each brace 7 is pivoted at its outer end to a shoe 14 which in this embodiment of my invention is arranged to be received within the U-shaped rib and to slide back and forth across the joint 9. The main portion of the rib is made tubular adjacent the hinge, as at 16, and is also made tubular at a slight distance from the end, as at 15. The inner end of the hinged portion 10 of each rib is also made tubular adjacent the hinge, as at 17. When the umbrella is opened, the shoe 14 occupies the full line position Fig. 3, that is, the end 18 thereof extends into the tubular portion 17 of the hinged end 10 of the rib, and said end also extends through the-tubular portion 16 and into the tubular portion 15 of the main body of the rib. When in this position, the shoe spans the joint 9 and holds the rib stiff If the shoe is moved upwardly on the rib so that the end 18 is clear from the tubular portion 17, then the rib can fold, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

Suitable means are provided for holding the shoe in either one of its two adjacent positions, this being accomplished in the present embodiment of my invention by.

making the shoe curved, as shown in Fig. 3,

so that therewill be suflicient frictional contact between the shoe and the tubular portion of the rib to hold the shoe in either adjusted position. Under ordinary circumstances, the shoe of each rib is in the position shown in Fig. 3, and when the parts are so arranged, the umbrella may be ened and closed as an ordinary umbrella. hen the umbrella is thus opened, the strain on the braces 7 tends merely to force the shoes farther toward the joints of the ribs and to hold said shoes in this position. In order to fold the umbrella for packing, the umbrella is first closed, and when in this position, the shoes may all be slipped upwardly on the ribs by grasping the umbrella below the tip 3 with one hand and pushing upwardly on the runner with the other hand, this movement sliding all the shoes upwardly on the ribs so as to clear them from the joints 9. After this is accomplished, the sliding of the runner upwardly on the stem opens the umbrella out, as shown in full lines Fig. 2, the hinged ends 10 of the ribs simply hanging vertically, and the continued upward movement of the runner carries the main portion of the ribs backwardly against the tip 3, as shown in dotted lines 2. When in this position, the ends are folded inwardly completely against the main portion of the ribs, and the whole umbrella top is folded against the ti 3.

The handle 4 is rovided with a joint at so that the main portion of the handle can be removed from the tip 3. This joint is so placed that when the umbrella is folded, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 2, the

- runner 6 is carried above the joint so that the handle may be disconnected from the tip. The frame of the umbrella thus occupies a minimum amount of space.

Preferably'the handle 4.- Will be provided with one or more other joints, as 21, so that it may be taken apart in sections, each of which is no longer than the folded umbrella frame. The entire umbrella may thus be condensed into a very compact bundle which can be readily put into a grip or suit case.

It will be noted that in my umbrella the ribs are jointed to fold inwardly, and that they are locked in their straightened position by means of shoes to which the braces are pivoted, and that one set of braces only is used. The drawing shows and the specification describes one embodiment only of the invention.

25 designates a cap or protecting cover at the joint 9 of each rib to protect the cloth cover of the umbrella from being injured by the folding of the rib.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2 1. In an umbrella, a handle or stem, ribs hinged thereto, each rib having an inwardlyfolding joint between its ends, a shoe slidable on each rib and adaptedin one position to lock the joint, a brace pivoted to each shoe, and means to arrestthe movement of each shoe on its rib when the joint is unlocked.

2. In an umbrella, a handle, ribs hinged thereto and adapted to fold backwardly against the tip of the handle, each rib having a knuckle-joint intermediate of its ends and adapted to fold inwardly, a runner on the handle, braces pivoted to the runner, and

shoes slidably mounted on the ribs and connected to the braces, said shoes in one posi tion adapted to span the joints on the ribs and hold said ribs stiff.

3-. In an umbrella, a handle, ribs pivoted thereto to fold backwardly against the tip thereof, said ribs being substantially U- shaped in cross section and each having an inside joint intermediate of its ends, whereby the outer end of each rib may be folded inwardly against the inner side of the upper part thereof, a shoe Within each rib, and braces connected to the shoes, each shoe being adapted in one position to span the joint on the corresponding rib and hold said rib stiff in its straightenedposition.

4. In an umbrella, U-shaped ribs each jointed intermediate of its ends, each rib having tubular portions adjacent the joint,

a longitudinally-curved shoe slidable' within each rib and adapted to penetrate the tubu lar portions and span the joint thereof, and

braces pivoted to the shoes.

5. In an umbrella, the combination with a handle or stem of ribs hinged thereto, each ,rib having an inwardly-folding joint between its ends, a shoe on each rib, each shoe having a limited sliding movement sufficient only to lock and unlock the rib, and a brace pivoted to each shoe.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT I'I. BROWN.

Witnesses EDWARD J. PAYNE, WILLIAM G. SMITH. 

